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a relationship.
    'Ready,
darling?' he asked huskily.
    She
nodded slowly, too stunned to answer him with words, and followed him out into
the corridor.
    'Good
luck!' the young nurse beamed at them.
    Alex
gave her an abrupt nod, including a silver-haired woman in a blue uniform in
that departing nod as they passed the office. 'Thank you—for everything,'
he murmured softly to the woman.
    Morgan allowed Alex to help her into the back
of the dark Mercedes, still holding Courtney firmly in her arms, looking down
in awe at his sleeping face. She
looked up at Alex as he settled her more comfortably. 'Why'
    'Wait
until we're on our way,' he rasped softly, closing the door with a soft click
so that he didn't disturb the baby nestling against her.
    Morgan
had never experienced anything like the maternal love that flowed out of her
for Courtney. It was a curiously choking feeling to know that he was totally
dependent on her—on her and Alex. Alex had already made it clear that he
intended taking a very strong part in Courtney's life, and she already knew him
well enough to know he meant every word.
    He
spoke suddenly, interrupting her thoughts. 'As yet the media aren't aware of
Courtney's existence,' he told her abruptly. 'I intend keeping it that way for
as long as possible. That's why the deception at the hospital.'
    'Deception?'
she frowned.'Courtney was registered as our child.'
    "Ours?'
she gasped.
    He
nodded. 'That's right.'
    "You have a hell of a nerve         '
    Ssh,
you'll wake the baby,' he mocked her anger. 'And I'm sure you have no idea what
to do if that happens.' He eyed her mockingly in the driving mirror. 'No
comeback?'
    None,'
she shrugged. 'But I bet you don't know either,' she said with satisfaction.
    'Wrong,'
he returned smugly.
    Her
eyes widened. 'Wrong?'
    He
nodded. 'I have it all written down. Compliments of the Ward Sister.'
    "That's
cheating!'
    'Common
sense,' he corrected. 'I even have a bottle b case he wants feeding.'
    Too
clever by half,' she mumbled, feeling too dated from holding Courtney in her
arms to feel any peal anger with Alex. Holding the tiny baby gave her a •case
of well-being, as if she held a tiny part of Glenna to her.
    Glenna
would have loved Courtney, she had been looking forward to his birth so much.
No wonder she had clung to life long enough to give birth to him. If only her
strange decision to make Alex Hammond and herself Courtney's guardians could be
explained that easily!
    Although
Alex seemed more approachable today, lee inclined to be the austere stranger
she was used to. Perhaps Courtney's innocence had got to him too. Although she
wouldn't count on it! No doubt he would revert to type soon enough.
    'Damn,
damn, damnV he muttered as they entered the long driveway to the house, and
slowed the car down.
    'What   is   it?"    Morgan   sat   forward   concernedly, Courtney still—thank
goodness!—fast asleep in her arms.
    'I
hope you feel up to facing the press again,' he ground out. 'Why the hell
didn't my mother ring the police and have them thrown off my land!' he bit out
grimly as he halted the car and was instantly surrounded by obvious members of
the press, tape-recorders and cameras at the ready. 'There's going to be no
keeping Courtney's existence a secret now,' he turned to mutter. 'Just stay at
my side, Morgan, and don't say a word!'
    What did he take her for! He treated her as if
she was some sort of brainless idiot, not a woman of twenty-six. Who did ----------
    'And
calm down,' he taunted at the flash in her green eyes. 'You don't want them to
think you hate me, do you?' he mocked before swinging out of the car to walk
round and open the door for her, ignoring the questions being thrown at him as
if he didn't hear them.
    'Is
this your nephew, Mr Hammond?' The jostling became more intense as Morgan
stepped out of the car with Courtney in her arms.
    'The
son of Glenna McKay and your brother Mark?' they persisted as Alex guided her
towards the